We've been at it now for about two years, so it's a small battle that we've won in the war. Tony is really pleased about it, it's what he wants, so he's happy and at least we're going to get our day in court. If it had been thrown out now, without us even having a chance to fight our case, that would have been incredibly disappointing, but at least this way – even if we lose in the end – we've done absolutely everything we can.

We're getting huge amounts of support from the public. Tony flagged up an online poll by one of the newspapers: it asked whether someone who's physically unable to take their life should be able to use a doctor to take their life. And I think 83% said yes, so there's a huge amount of support out there for us. But there's always going to be those – especially those with religious views – who are never going to change their minds.

We get loads of emails sent through our solicitor in which people offer their support but I don't think anyone's got an idea really about how difficult Tony's life is unless you come here and see what goes on in his room. And it's all the things that go on behind closed doors that you don't want to talk about.

He's got absolutely no dignity left and he says it's the manhandling by the carers – which has to be done, and they're all very nice and they do their best – but he says it becomes more and more difficult for him to accept it. He says there's no dignity left in his life at all. It's just existing.

It's incredibly hard and it breaks my heart seeing him like it, especially knowing what kind of person he was. It would be incredibly difficult for anyone to accept, but he was such a huge, larger-than-life character, the life and soul of the party. He was very active, doing silly things: jumping out of planes and walking cables on bridges and all sorts of silly stuff like that. He was always on the go, he was a huge party animal and a typical ex-rugby player. He played hard but he worked very hard as well.

I have thought about ending his life myself, and I've been asked about it many times, but I just don't have the guts. And he wouldn't let me because I'd be risking life in prison, so it's out of the question.

I admire people who can do it but I just don't think I could. If it was legalised, maybe. But I just haven't got the guts. It doesn't matter how much you love someone, I think you need to be incredibly brave to be able to do that.

Twenty or perhaps 30 years ago, he probably would have died. He wouldn't have survived the stroke, and I think that's nature's way. Medicine has overtaken the law and that's one of Tony's main points: something needs to be done and it's a huge subject that needs to be addressed.

I can quite understand why Tony's saying that it would be better if the doctors hadn't saved his life in Greece, and in many ways I agree with him. He says he called for help knowing that something was wrong and he says he wishes he'd just gone to bed and let nature take its course. He says if he had known then what he knows now, that's what he would have done.

He says he's got nothing to look forward to. People have said: "What about your girls getting married and having families?". And he says: "That just makes things even worse." He was never one to sit back and watch life go by, which is all he can really do now.

He says there's nothing that gives him much pleasure. Probably the thing that gives him the most pleasure is watching the rugby – and that's only when England wins, which doesn't happen very often these days.

He says he doesn't know [when he might choose to die, if he were able to choose]. He says you never know, maybe even knowing that he does have a way out will be enough for him to carry on. He says it's agony for him knowing that he has no way out.